Good evening. I’m Matsushima from cantáte.

Today, I’d like to talk a little about why our T-shirts can be worn for such a long time.

It’s embarrassing because it’s dirty, but…

First, please take a look at this photo.

One is a personal T-shirt I’ve worn for three years. The other is new.
It hasn’t been bleached, nor has it been treated to make it look good in photos.
It is exactly as it is.

But what I want you to look at isn’t the “color”—it’s the “neckline.”
Don’t you think it hasn’t stretched?

■ Why the collar doesn’t stretch

It’s “normal” for a T-shirt collar to become completely stretched out after a few years of wear.
But cantáte T-shirts are designed with an angle and tension that make them resistant to stretching.
The sewing method, the type of thread, and the resistance to pulling—all of these are designed to help you wear the garment for a long time.

■ “Bar tacks” at the cuffs and hem

The points where the stitching on the sleeves and hem intersects.
These areas often come under stress and start to fray as you wear the garment—something you’ve probably experienced.

cantáte T-shirts have a *bar tack at every point where the stitching overlaps*.
Just having this in place helps prevent fraying and tearing before they occur.
It’s an unobtrusive but reassuring detail.

■ Set-in sleeve construction

There are two ways to attach sleeves: “shirt sleeves” and “set-in sleeves.”
At cantáte, we use the same “set-in” construction for our T-shirts as for jackets.

That’s because they allow a wider range of arm movement.
They make it easy to move and less stressful to wear.
By the way, shirt sleeves are suitable for shirts.
I’ll talk about this in more detail another time.

■ Takobinder construction

The takobinder construction connects the inside of the shoulders and the back of the neck with one continuous piece of tape.
We sew from one shoulder, around the back of the neck, to the opposite shoulder, enclosing the seam allowance in tape.

As a result,
 • The seam allowance does not touch the skin directly, making it comfortable to wear
 • Increases the strength around the neck and prevents stretching and loss of shape

That’s one of the benefits.

When you wear something for a long time, the shoulder seams can break.

In fact, the shoulder seam on one of my own shirts has completely fallen apart.

But it remains wearable because the takobinder is still holding up.
This is an incredibly strong detail.

■ Bar tack at the collar seam

Please look at the parts you can’t see, too.
There’s also a bar tack at the seam where the collar ribbing joins.
At cantáte, we make sure not to overlook these “places prone to breaking.”

In closing

A T-shirt isn’t disposable.
That’s what I believe.

Rather than making something you replace every year, I wanted to create a piece you could keep wearing for three years, five years, and even longer.
It’s not just about looking good—the accumulation of meaningful details results in a T-shirt that retains its “character.”

The next time you pick up a T-shirt, take a moment to look at the inside and the direction of the stitching.
Surely, there must be proof that someone cared about it there.

cliché OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM.

cantáte 松島 紳